Collapsible bucket.



N. P. ARNOLD.

COLLAPSIBLE BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. s. 1916.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

1 a ai in.

NORVILL P. ARNOLD, OF HECTOR, ARKANSAS.

COLLAPSIBLE BUCKET.

Application filed February 5, 1916.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NoRvILL P. ARNOLD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Rector, in the county of Clayand State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Collapsible Buckets, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved collapsible bucket and has for itsprimary object to provide a bucket primarily designed for use byautomobilists for the purpose of conveniently filling the radiator withwater, said bucket being so constructed that it may be very compactlyfolded or collapsed so that it will occupy a minimum of space upon thevehicle body.

It is another and more particular object of the invention to provide'abucket or receptacle having a flexible collapsible body wall, preferablyof canvas, said body wall being provided at its lower end with a funnelextension, a bottom for'the bucket and means for clamping the body wallthereto,

said bottom being provided with an opening, a valve normally closingsaid opening, a bail for the bucket, and means connected to said valveand adjustable upon the bail whereby the valve may be removed from itsseat to release the water.

It is a further general object of the invention to provide a device ofthe above character which is of great convenience in practical use,positive and reliable in its operation, and may be manufactured atrelatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a collapsible bucketconstructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;and Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the flexible connectionbetween the valve member and the bail or handle of the bucket.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the body wall of thebucket, preferably constructed of canvas or other like flexible materialwhich may be reinforced at its upper end by a wire ring 6 arrangedSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

Serial No. 76,492.

in a turned-over hem on the edge of the bucket Wall. To this wire ring,the ends of a bail 7 are loosely connected, said bail having curved endportions and a straight medial portion. Bends are formed in the Wirebail at the opposite ends of the medial portion thereof to providenotches, indicated at 8, for a purpose to be later explained.

The bucket is provided with a wood bottom 9 having a groove 10 in itsperiphery to receive a clamping ring 11 which tightly holds the flexiblebody wall in connection with the bottom 9. The body wall of the bucketis formed with a tapering funnelshaped extension 12 to extend below thebucket bottom 9, and this bottom is centrally provided with a taperingopening 13 to release the contents of the bucket into said funnel. Inthe upper surface of the bottom 9, the leaf springs 14: are countersunkand securely fixed to said bottom at their outer ends. 15 designates avalve member normally closing the opening 13, and held in such positionby the inner free ends of the springs 11 which bear upon the upper faceof the valve. These inner ends of the springs are notched or forked toaccommodate the outwardly extending valve stem 16.

To the valve stem 16, a substantially triangular wire loop 17 is looselyattached and a similar loop 18 is slidable upon the medial portion ofthe bail 7. A flexible strip of canvas or other suitable material 19connects the loops 17 and 18 and one end of this flexible strip isadjustably connected to the body of the strip by means of a buckle 20,whereby the slack in the strip may be taken up and its length properlyadjusted.

In the use of my improved bucket, the same is filled with water or otherliquid, the valve 15 being held tightly closed by means of the springs14. In order that a water-tight closure may be effected, this valve ispreferably fcrmed of hard rubber. When it is desired to release thewater from the bucket, the canvas strip 19 is pulled upwardly and thevalve 15 thus disengaged from its seat against the action of the springs14. At the same time, the loop 18 is shifted longitudinally upon thebail 7 and engaged in one of the notches 8 in said bail so that thevalve will be held in its open position and will not be again drawn intoengagement with its seat by the suction of the water flowing out throughthe opening EJI 18. The lower end of the funnel-shaped extension 12 isengaged in the filling nozzle of the radiator or other reservoir whichit is desired to fill, so that the water, as it es- .part of the vehiclebody.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, the construction, manner of use and severaladvantages of the device will be clearly and fully understood.

My improved collapsible bucket is serviceable'and convenient for use bymotorists, but'can obviously be also advantageously employed for variousother purposes. The buckets can be constructed in various sizes and ofdiflerent capacities and, while I have shown and described the preferredconstruction and arrangement of the several elements, it is to beunderstood that the device is susceptible of considerable modificationtherein and I, therefore, reserve the privilege of adopting all suchlegitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scopeof the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent is 1. A bucket of the character describedhaving a collapsible body Wall and a rigid bottom provided with acentral opening, a bail or handle for the bucket, a valve to close theopening in the bucket bottom, and means connected to the valve andadjustable upon the bail to engage means on the bail whereby the valveis retained in an open position.

2. A bucket of the character described having a collapsible body walland a rigid bottom provided with a central opening, a bail or handle forthe bucket, a valve to close the opening in the bucket bottom,

" means connected to the valve and adjustable upon the bailto engagemeans on the bail whereby the valve is retained in an open position, andmeans normally acting to yieldingly hold said valve in its closedposition.

8. A bucket of the character described having a collapsible body walland a rigid bottom provided with a central opening, a bail or handle forthe bucket, a valve to close the opening in the bucket bottom, and

flexible means connected to said valve and adjustable upon the bailwhereby the valve may be held in its open position.

4. A bucket of the character described having a collapsible body walland a rigid bottom provided with a central opening, a bail or handle forthe bucket, a valve to close the opening in the bucket bottom, flexiblemeans connected to said valve and adjustable upon the bail whereby thevalve may be held in its open position, and means fixed to the bottom ofthe bucket normally acting to yieldingly hold the valve in its closedposition.

5. A bucket having a flexible body wall and a taperin flexiblefunnel-shaped extension on one end, a rigid bottom for the bucket, meansfor clamping the wall of the bucket above said extension to the outeredge of said bottom, said bucket bottom being centrally provided with anopening, a valve to close said opening, and means for opening said valveto permit the water to escape from the bucket into the funnel-shapedextension thereof.

6. A bucket having a flexible body wall and a tapering funnel-shapedextension on one end, a rigid bottom for the bucket, means for clampingthe wall of the bucket to the outer edge of said bottom, said bucketbottom being centrally provided with an opening, a valve to close saidopening, means for opening said valve to permit the water to escape fromthe bucket into the funnel-shaped extension thereon, a bail attached tothe other end of the body wall of the bucket, and flexible meansconnected to the valve and adjustable upon said bail to hold the valvein its open position and permit the water to escape from the bucket intothe funnel-shaped extension thereon.

7. A bucket having a flexible body wall and a tapering funnel-shapedextension on one end, a rigid bottom for the bucket, means for clampingthe wall of the bucket to the outer edge of said bottom, said bucketbottom being centrally provided with an opening, a valve to close saidopening, means for opening said valve to permit the water to escape fromthe bucket into the funnelshaped extension thereof, and leaf springsfixed to the bottom of the bucket and cooperating with said valve tonormally hold the same in its closed position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

NORVILL P. ARNOLD.

Witnesses:

F. M. KIMBERLY, HENRY MORRIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, b addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0.

